The Times-Picayune: “Enrique Alferez newspaper murals are essential piece of New Orleans history | Opinion”

Art critic Doug MacCash recently posed an important question in his article, “Will the Enrique Alferez murals in the former Times-Picayune building survive?” Those in position to decide the fate of Alferez’s “Symbols of Communication” panels at the newspaper’s former headquarters on Howard Avenue must embrace their roles as stewards of a historically significant work of art.

The panels are not only characteristically representative of Alferez’s views as an individual and artist, they are also an important part of The Times-Picayune’s history and a celebration of the multicultural influences in New Orleans.

Alferez, who created “Symbols” in 1967, lived in New Orleans on and off from 1929 until his death in 1999. He lived with a foot in two cultures, that of his home country of Mexico and his chosen home in New Orleans. This Mexican sculptor had an influence on the city unparalleled by any other in its history. Today, there is a garden in his name, The Helis Foundation Enrique Alferez Sculpture Garden at the Botanical Garden in City Park, and there are more than 20 sites throughout the area bearing his influence.

If Jimmy Buffett hadn’t opened one of his Margaritaville restaurants in the French Quarter, then a young muralist now known as MOMO wouldn’t have been sent to New Orleans to paint the place and years later, after becoming world-famous, MOMO might not have created the mind-blowing 93-foot tall masterpiece mural on the wall the Ogden Museum of Art at 925 Camp St...

Five Large-Scale Murals Unveiled in Downtown New Orleans with Public Events
Unframed presented by The Helis Foundation, a project of Arts Council New Orleans, brings the vibrancy of New Orleans Arts District from the gallery walls into the streets...